Splitting machine



E. o. PETERSON ETAI. 3,090,055

May 21, 1963 SPLITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Shaet 1 Filed March 1, 1961 y 1, 1963 E. o. PETERSON ETAL 3,090,055

HSPLITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1961 2 27 we 0725 EVALD O. PETERSON JOHN A. RODES 6y HENRY PERRY May 21, 1963 E. o. PETERSON ETAL SPLITTING MACHINE 5 Shasta-Sheet 3 Filed March 1, 1961 N O W S R m w 8 Y W MR O .P A Y wNR v wm EJ May 21, 1963 E. o. PETERSON ETAI. 3,090,055

SPLITTING MACHINE Filed March 1. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 inveweard EVALD O. PETERSON JOHN A.RODES HENRY PERRY VWWY y 1963 E. o. PETERSON ETAL 3,090,055

SPLITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 1, 1961 N mo Q NE ET VYEDR NPO 1 .R

A Y wN VOE 3,090,055 SPLITTIN G MACHINE Evald 0. Peterson, Lynnfield Center, John A. Rodes, Wayland, and Henry Perry, Arlington, Mass., assignors to Compo Shoe Machinery Corporation, Waitharn, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 1, 1961, Ser. No. 92,613 19 Claims. (til. 12-165) This invention comprises a new and improved machine of the matrix type for splitting leather, rubber or composite sheet material. One important field of use for such machines is for splitting soles to form in them a breast flap. The invention will be described as embodied in a flap splitting machine although it is by no means limited to that or to any particular field but may be employed with outstanding advantages in any splitting machine Where it is important to press the work firmly, comprehensively and uniformly into conformity with a matrix roll.

An important feature of the invention resides in improved presser fingers arranged in alternation with spaced serrated disks of a feed roll and having provision for individual adjustment as to position and operating pressure as well as provision for rapid simultaneous adjustment of all the fingers as a group or bank. The initial operative position of the presser fingers with respect to the splitting knife and the bite of the rolls must be critically determined to insure the accurate and uniform operation of the splitting machine. As herein shown the desired results are secured by pivotally mounting the presser fingers to rock about a transverse axis located substantially at the level of the incoming sole or other Work piece and providing each finger with an elongated downwardly extending shank engaged on one side by an individual adjusting screw and on the other by an individual and adjustable spring-pressed plunger. By means herein shown both the initial position and the operating pressure of the fingers individually or as a group may be adjusted and determined to a nicety.

The simultaneous pressure adjustment of the presser fingers is provided for in a novel and practically instantaneous manner through the medium of a common presser plate for all the finger-actuating springs, this plate being held by toggle mechanism in a predetermined but adjustable position. Convenient means are provided by which the operator may break the toggle causing the presser plate to retract in its position and so relax the operating pressure of all the fingers. The machine is thus adapted to operate consecutively on soles or Work pieces substantially differing in hardness or density. For example, considerably less pressure may thus be applied to form a rubber sole to the matrix than a leather sole and by the means above discussed the operator is enabled to deal with such different materials Without requiring any individual adjustment of the presser fingers or disturbing their operative position.

Another important feature of the machine resides in provision for the splitting of a pair of soles simultaneously. This not only increases the output of the machine but permits operating on both soles of a pair at the same time and under the same conditions as generally desired by shoe manufacturers. Novel rear and side gauges are provided for this purpose all being controllably set by means located at the front of the machine within convenient reach of the operator.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the machine,

Patented May 21, 1&63

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation, partly in section, as seen with the frame removed,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the lower feed roll and carrier with associated parts,

FIG. 4 is a view of the machine in front elevation, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively plan and front elevations of the side gauge mechanism.

The operating instrumentalities of the machine are clearly shown in FIG. 2 as comprising a fixed splitting knife it), a bottom feed roll of spaced serrated disks 1!, a matrix roll 12 with recessed matrix segment 13, presser fingers 14, rear gauges 16 and side gauges 75. In the single revolution of the machine portions of the soles are forced into the matrix cavities 13 by the pressure of the fingers 14 and thus is determined the shape of the flap or other portion split by the knife it The length of the split is determined by the setting of the rear or heel gauges 16 and when the sole or soles pass out of engagement with the matrix they are released so that they may be removed from the machine.

The machine frame 20 includes upright side members in which is journaled the main shaft 21 having a drive pulley 22 on one end and a hand Wheel 23 on the other. The shaft carries a gear 24 meshing with a gear 25 on the feed roll shaft 27. This gear 25 constitutes the driving member of a one revolution clutch generally indicated at 26. This clutch may be of any suitable or conventional construction. The feed roll comprises a series of serrated disks 11 spaced by collars l1 and fast on the driven shaft 27. The presser fingers 14 are arranged in alternation with the disks 11. Each finger has a short arm arranged to engage the work at the bite of the rolls and a long downwardly extending shank 14'. The fingers are all pivotally mounted in a carrier member St)- for movement about a transverse rod 33 located slightly below the level at which the work is introduced to the rolls. The carrier or stanchion as best shown in FIGS. 2. and 3 is provided at each side with a horizontal key 31 arranged to slide in corresponding slots formed in the side members of the frame. The carrier is adjustably secured to the frame by bolts 32 threaded into its side members adjacent to the keys 31. A depending presser plate 35 is pivotally secured to the carrier by a transverse rod 36 and is limited in its permissible angular deflections relative to the carrier 34) by a stop bolt 37 threaded into carrier 30 and fitted loosely through plate 35, as shown by the dashed linework associated with bolt 37 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The position of presser plate at one limit of its permissible angular deflections is represented by dashed linework 35 in FIGURE 2. The carrier is provided with a series of plungers 38 actuated by compression springs 39, one bearing against each of the depending shanks 14 of the presser fingers. Compression springs 39 are interposed between these plungers and the presser plate, each finger thus having its own individual plunger. Secured to the rear portion of the carrier 30 by bolts 47 is a transverse bar 48 in which is inserted a series of stop screws 51, one for each presser finger. These stop screws determine individually the initial position of each finger in cooperation with the spring pressed plungers 38 The fingers may thus be individually adjusted by manipulating the proper set screw 51 so that the Work engaging portion of the finger will be accurately located with respect to the edge of the splitting knife 10 and the bite of the rolls. It will be understood that the long shank 14- of each finger is substantially more than twice the length of its short arm, this being a favorable ratio for making an extremely precise adjustment of the working point of the finger. Moreover, this lever action advantageously produces higher forces at the working point of each finger than are exerted by the springs 39 on the shanks 14'.

The provision for effecting a rapid and simultaneous change in all the fingers 14 is effected by toggle movement of the dependent pressure plate 35. The carrier 39 is provided with a downwardly extending bracket 42 carrying a stud 40 which constitutes the fixed pivot of a toggle comprising a link 41 and a rod 33. The link 41 extends to the front of the machine where it is provided with an operating handle 44- while the rod 43 has an adjustable swivel connection 45 with the lower end of the pressure plate 35. The toggle members 41 and 43 are connected by the pin 46 and are shown in straightened position in FIG. 2. In this position the pressure plate 35 has been moved to its extreme right hand position and the compression springs 39 are subjected to maximum pressure. In order to relax this pressure the operator has only to break the toggle by lifting the handle .4- into the dotted line position of FIG. 2. This permits the pressure plate 35 to swing toward the left about the axis of the rod 36 and so simultaneously relax the effective pressure of all the springs 39 upon all the pressure fingers 14. This enables the operator rapidly to adjust the machine for handling a soft work piece such as a rubber sole which would otherwise be deformed by the full pressure of the springs 39.

The bar 48 carries a transverse rod 59 and supports in vertical position a series of chip clearing lingers or strippers 49 which are arranged in alternation with the serrated disks 11 of the lower feed roll, one of those fingers being located opposite to each pressure finger 14 and acting to clear the feed roll of chips or other debris.

The matrix roll shaft 12 is journaled in boxes contained in the side members of the machine frame as indicated in FIG. 4, these boxes are supported on compression springs 54 and are held in adjusted position by overhead wedges 55 secured to the sectional shaft having a right and left connection 57 and carrying a hand wheel 58 at its outer end. The shaft carries an index pointer cooperating with a scale 59 indicating the position of the matrix roll as determined by rotation of the hand wheel 58.

The machine is shown in FIG. 1 as provided with a duplex rear gauge 16 for determining the proper position for a pair of soles. The gauge is carried on a transverse arm 61 secured to a forwardly extending rod 62. At its front end the rod is connected with an adjusting screw 63 and has an indicator cooperating with a scale 64 which indicates the setting of the rear gauge and the length of the split or flap which will be produced in accordance with the setting of the rear gauge. The rear gauge16 determines the front-to-rear position of a pair of soles as presented by the operator to the machine. In the splitting operation the soles are fed forwardly away from the rear gauge, the latter remaining at all times in its adjusted position behind the bite of the rolls.

The machine is provided in front of the rolls with a removable table 70 and side gauges adapted to receive a pair of soles and locate them for the splitting operation in cooperation with the rear gauge 16 as shown in FIG. 1. The table 70 is secured to .a transverse bridge or yoke 71 having down-turned ears 72 (FIG. 6) slotted for finger bolts 69 by which the whole unit is adjustably secured to the machine frame.

In the yoke 71 is formed a pair of transverse guideways 73 for slides 74. The slides 74 carry converging upstanding side gauge flanges 75 shaped to engage the outer edges of soles presented in pairs as shown in FIG. 1, insuring that the soles are presented in parallel right angular relation to the rolls of the machine. The slides 74 are connected through links 76 to opposite sides of a sector 77 pivotally mounted in the yoke 71 below the table 70 and having finger knob 78 by which'the sector may be'roclred to contract or expand the side gauge fingers in accordance with an index scale carried by the sector.

The inclination of the side gauges 75 is such that they may be set in cooperation with the rear gauges 16 to handle a Whole run of sizes of any given style without adjustment. It will be seen from FIG. 5 that the side gauge flange is engaged by each sole at the widest point adjacent its inside shank. The convergence of the side gauge therefore compensates for reduction in the size of the soles and maintains the center line of all soles of the same style perpendicular to the rolls and knife edge.

It will be apparent that the carrier 30', having a keyed connection with the machine frame, may be readily adjusted in or out with the elements mounted therein, or it may be removed from and replaced in the machine as a complete unit. This is a matter of convenience in adjusting or repairing these elements of the machine.

One preferred operation of the described machine in preparing spilt soles is next recounted.

In use of the machine to split soles to form breast flaps for known purposes in the shoemaking art, the operator selects a pair of the type soles to be split, places them onto the table 70 (FIG. 1) with their softer flesh sides down and the inside ball portions against side flanges 75, and slides them rearwardly until their heel ends are located in position by the duplex heel gauge device 16 in the manner explained by the dashed-line illustration of the soles in FIG. 1. At the outset, the matrix roll 12 is oriented with its protruding segment 13 poised as shown in FIG. 2, and the soles may thus be freely slid through to the heel gauge device 16 without interference from the matrix roll. Knob 63 may be manipulated, as needed, to adjust the front-to-rear orientation of the heel gauge device 16 by way of the transverse arm 61 and rod 62, this orientation governing the length of the split or flap which is to be produced on the soles. Scale 64 registers the heel gauge settings, and hence designates the expected length of these splits or flaps. If it proves necessary to align the soles laterally on the table, the operator loosens the knob 78 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and turns the sector to slide the side gauge flanges 75 laterally in opposite directions by way of the links 76. The knob 78 is then re-tightened manually, and it is known that the table adjustment will be satisfactory for a run of generally similar soles.

Next, the operator causes the matrix roll 12 and the bottom feed roll of serrated disks 11 to be rotated through one revolution simultaneously in opposite directions, respectively counterclockwise and clockwise in FIG. 2. Handwheel 23 (FIGS. 1 and 4) permits the operator to move these rolls by hand, through the gearing 25, 26, 28 and 29, although in high-speed production the motive forces are preferably supplied through the belt-driven pulley 22 and a known form of clutch 26 which causes the rolls to turn through but a single revolution each time it is actuated by the operator. In the course of the turning of these rolls, the matrix segment 13 forces the soles down upon the lower spring-mounted feed roll 11 and the latter cooperates with the former in thrusting the soles forward, back toward the operator, but at the same time against the stationary knife edge of the knife 10 in a controlled manner. As the soles are thus being fed, the pivoted springbiased finger ends 14 engage the soles at the bite of the rolls and force them to conform to the shape of the matrix segment 13-. To the extent needed, the operator may at times lift the handle 44 (FIG. 2) to break the toggle support for the pressure fingers and thereby relax the pressures of these fingers; in this manner soft soles may be processed without being unduly deformed. As a result of the finger pressures, the soles are forced into accurate conformation with the shaped cavities 13 in the matrix segment 13, and the patterns of these cavities are thus reproduced in the accompanying splitting or cutting by the knife 10. When the desired splits have been formed in this way, the soles are thrust fully forward on the table 70, and are released as the matrix segment 13 moves past them, such that the operator may remove them from the table, insert another pair of soles, and repeat the operations.

Having thus disclosed our invention and described in detail an illustrative embodiment thereof, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A sole splitting machine comprising a knife, an overhead matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks, a carrier member supporting a series of pressure fingers arranged in alternation with respect to the disks of the feed wheel, and means for shifting the carrier member from one position to another to adjust the position and effective action of all the presser fingers at once.

2. In a sole splitting machine having a knife, a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks; a transverse carrier member supporting a series of presser fingers extending in alternation between the disks of the feed roll, individual means for adjusting the position of each finger in the carrier member, and means for quick adjustment affecting all the pressure fingers for simultaneously altering their pressure on work passing said rolls.

3. In a splitting machine having a frame, a knife, a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks, a carrier adjustably mounted in the frame and having a depending pressure plate, a series of presser fingers pivotally mounted in the carrier and extending into the feed roll, springs interposed between said fingers and the pressure plate, manually operated means for holding the pressure plate in different positions with respect to said fingers, and means for bodily adjusting the position of the carrier together with its said pressure plate.

4. In a splitting machine having a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks; pivoted presser fingers each having a work-engaging arm located with one end at the bite of said rolls and an elongated shank, a spring engaging one edge of the shank at a point remote from the pivotal axis of the finger, and an adjustable stop engaging the other edge of the shank at a distance from its said pivotal axis.

5. In a splitting machine having a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks; a carrier bodily movable in the machine below said feed roll and having a series of yielding presser fingers extending substantially to the bite of the rolls in alternation with said disks, and a corresponding series of chip-clearing fingers detachably mounted in the carrier.

6. In a splitting machine having a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks; a carrier having a series of presser fingers arranged in alternation with said disks and being pivotally mounted in said carrier and each finger having an elongated depending shank, a compression spring bearing against one side of each shank, and an adjusting screw bearing against the other side of each shank for determining the initial setting of each finger.

7. In a splitting machine having a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced serrated disks; a series of pressure fingers arranged in alternation with said disks and pivotally supported for movement about a common axis parallel to the feed roll, each finger having a short arm for engaging the work at the bite of the rolls and a shank at least twice as long as its short arm, and a spring acting near the end of its long shank for holding the short arm in operative position by lever action.

8. In a splitting machine having a matrix roll and a cooperating feed roll of spaced disks; a carrier mounted in the machine adjacent .to the feed disks, a series of pressure fingers arranged in alternation with said disks and pivotally mounted in the carrier for movement about a common axis parallel to that of the feed roll and each finger having a long downwardly extending shank, a pivoted pressure plate mounted in the carrier, a series of springs interposed between said pressure plate and the lower ends of said shanks, and means for adjustably setting the pressure plate in different positions to vary the effective pressure of all the fingers simultaneously.

9. A splitting machine comprising a frame having a matrix roll and a recessed feed roll mounted therein, a carrier removably mounted in the frame and presenting a transverse pivot rod in position adjacent to the feed roll, presser fingers mounted on said pivot rod and having each a forwardly directed short arm passing into a recess of the feed roll and a downwardly directed shank, a block removably attached to the. carrier and having a bank of stop screws individually engaging the shanks of said presser fingers, and an individual spring for maintaining each shank in contact with its set screw.

10. A splitting machine comprising a frame having a matrix roll and a recessed feed roll journaled therein, a series of pivotally mounted presser fingers fitted into recesses in said feed roll and each having an individual spring for maintaining it in operative position, together with manually controlled mechanism for simultaneously reducing the effective pressure of all of said springs.

11. A splitting machine as defined in claim 10, wherein said manually controlled mechanism includes a common pressure plate in engagement with all of said springs and which is releasably held in position by a toggle mechamsm.

12. In :a splitting machine having cooperating matrix and feed rolls; means for gauging and presenting pairs of soles to said rolls comprising a frame having a flat table for supporting soles side-by-side and transverse guideways extending below the table, converging edge gauges canied by the slides adjacent to the edges of the table, a graduated sector pivotally mounted below the table, and links connecting the slides to points on opposite sides of the axis of said sector.

13. Means as defined in claim 12 for gauging and presenting pairs of soles to a splitting machine, further characterized in that a finger nut for moving the sector is located beneath the table thus leaving the latter clear for the reception of pairs of soles lying side-by-side.

14. In a splitting machine having cooperating matrix and feed rolls and a splitting knife; a duplex rear gauge located behind the bite of the rolls and shaped to engage the heel ends of a pair of soles presented side-by-side to the rolls for flap splitting, and connections extending forwardly of said rolls for adjusting the rear gauge and so determining the length of the flap to be split.

15. In a splitting machine having cooperating matrix and feed rolls and a splitting knife; a duplex rear gauge located behind the bite of the rolls, a work table and side gauges located in front of the bite of the rolls, and adjusting means for the rear gauge and for the side gauges located si-de-by-side at the front of the machine.

16. In a splitting machine having a frame and a stationary splitting knife together with cooperating matrix and feed rolls; a carrier unit having keyed connection with the machine frame, a series of pressure fingers pivotally mounted in the carrier unit, each finger having a short arm for cooperation with the feed roll of the machine :and a long arm with individual spring loading and adjusting devices, and a pressure plate mounted in the carrier unit and movable therein for simultaneously relaxing or increasing the spring loading of the pressure fingers, the said carrier unit being removable as a whole from the machine with all the parts mounted Within in undisturbed relation.

17. In a splitting machine having a frame with matrix and feed rolls and a splitting knife; a carrier member having a series of presser fingers adjustably mounted therein for cooperation with the feed roll, finger-actuating springs and a common presser plate for all of said springs, means for adjustably connecting said carrier member to the frame, and means for adjusting the presser piate in all positions of the carrier member to vary the pressure of all the said fingers as a group.

18. In a splitting machine having cooperating matrix and feed rolls; means for gauging and presenting a sole at right angles to said rolls comprising a rear gauge for determining the lengthwise position of the sole with respect to the rolls and a cooperating side gauge adapted to be engaged by soles of different sizes at their Widest point adjacent the inside and inclined to compensate for difierences in thesize of the soles and maintain the center line of all soles in predetermined direction.

19. In a splitting machine having a knife cooperating with matrix and feed T0118; means for gauging and presenting pairs of soles side-by-side to the knife and rolls of the machine comprising a pair of rear gauges for determining the lengthwise position of the soles with re- 10 spect'to the polls, and cooperating side gauges converg- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,677,140 Lane May 4, 1954 

1. A SOLE SPLITTING MACHINE COMPRISING A KNIFE, AN OVERHEAD MATRIX ROLL AND A COOPERATING FEED ROLL OF SPACED SERRATED DISKS, A CARRIER MEMBER SUPPORTING A SERIES OF PRESSURE FINGERS ARRANGED IN ALTERNATION WITH RESPECT TO THE DISKS OF THE FEED WHEEL, AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE CARRIER MEMBER FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER TO ADJUST THE POSITION AND EFFECTIVE ACTION OF ALL THE PRESSER FINGERS AT ONCE. 